


the stupid, the proud

by AdamJensens



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Anal Sex, Brief Description of Injuries, Fix-It of Sorts, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force Sensitivity, Horror Elements, Kissing, Kylux Positivity Week, M/M, Non-Linear Narrative, Post TROS, Red String of Fate, there's a lot of crying in this one...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:41:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22574188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdamJensens/pseuds/AdamJensens
Summary: Under a stormy sky of Exegol, beneath the remains of what was once the Steadfast, against all odds Armitage Hux wakes up.[ Kylux Positivity Week – Day 4 – second chances ]
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren
Comments: 17
Kudos: 182
Collections: Kylux Positivity Week 2020





	the stupid, the proud

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: this isn’t exactly a fix–it fic but it’s my version of making TROS somewhat… tolerable? Don’t get me wrong, I still dislike it.  
> Title from the song of the same name by IAMX that has massive post–TLJ kylux vibes. Or ‘I cry about these two idiots on a daily basis’ vibe. The point is, it’s a melancholic song that makes me Feel Things.

_a legend says that two people joined by a **red string of fate** will always find each other_

* * *

He’s falling down, his lips opening to scream as the entire galaxy moves in slow motion and pain spreads from his chest where he was shot. He falls on the floor, hard, his cry of pain cut short – his head hits the cold metal and everything goes dark.

The last thing Hux sees before he falls unconscious is Pryde’s cold glare and the blaster in his hands.

There’s nothing after that. Darkness swallows him whole.

And then, as he drifts beyond time and space, he feels a pull of some strange force and Hux opens his eyes with a soft gasp.

The sudden realization he has a body and his body _hurts_ , and he’s cold and lying on a pile of rubble makes him groan in pain. He squeezes his eyes shut. He’s trembling in the cold dressed only in white boxers. He takes a calming breath, then another one and another until he doesn’t feel so dizzy anymore.

He opens his eyes again, ready to face the situation. His entire body hurts so much he can’t possibly be dead. Pryde’s blaster was set to stun, as per the regulations. Hux vaguely remembers two Stormtroopers carrying him… where? To dispose of him, most likely. Of course an ignorant fool like Pryde wouldn’t check if Hux was truly dead. Did that oaf forgot his blaster wasn’t set to kill?

He tries to remember what happened later. Someone carried him here, to a medical room, then took off his uniform and set a med droid to treat him. A strange sense of pride blooms in his heart at the thought that after all that happened there were still men in the Order loyal to him even onboard the _Steadfast_.

He can’t remember much else. One second he was falling back, pain from the blaster shot blooming in his chest, then he wakes up in a ruined med room. He glances around and it appears he’s still onboard the _Steadfast_ , though from the lack of any sounds produced by the engines and a general state of ruin, the ship must have been hit and most likely crashed, stars know where.

A big piece of metal, some kind of plate from the walls, fell on the ground where he lies and now covers it like a blanket. Thankfully it didn’t crush his legs, otherwise the med room would be his coffin.

His left leg feels numb and Hux winces when touching his thigh where the rebel shot him. He shivers in the cold air. There’s a giant hole in the ceiling and through it he sees layers of metal, wires and parts that made the _Steadfast_. Everything is unnaturally silent; there’s only some distant groaning of metal, perhaps something is about to collapse. He looks around, overwhelmed by loneliness.

Hux takes a deep breath and carefully touches his chest. His entire body hurts, bruises marking his pale skin. But it’s the injury on his chest that hurts the most. Maybe the medical droids didn’t finish fixing him up before the ship was hit.

He could have died. What are the chances he will survive this? There’s no one here, wherever _here_ is. People died, others escaped, perhaps, leaving him forgotten.

He should have died. It would be easier if he didn’t wake up. He’d cease to exist, shot by Stormtroopers he himself helped to train. He would be marked as a traitor in the Order’s records and that would be the end of a man known as Armitage Hux.

His lips quiver.

He’s not going to cry. Of course he’s not.

It’s so dark in here he can barely see his surroundings. Right before him, on a pile of rubble, wires and pieces of a broken bacta tank, lies an upper part of a medical droid. It stares at Hux with blank eyes. There are scratches on it, some so deep they make the wiring underneath the armor parts visible.

Hux’s eyes move to a symbol of the First Order painted on the droid’s chest. There’s a scratch going right in the middle, tearing it in half.

Hux bites his lips so hard he can taste blood. He squeezes his eyes shut, tears swelling despite his best efforts to stay calm. The pain in his chest is so great he takes a shaky breath, his entire body trembling.

He lies alone in the rubble, too weak to stand up, to move even a finger, and he sobs, all his composure gone in an instant, tears streaming down his face. The pain in his chest threatens to break his heart into pieces.

Above him, on a sky he can’t see from beneath the metal shell that was once the _Steadfast_ a lighting cuts the dark sky in half, illuminating broken ships that litter the planet’s surface.

* * *

It starts as stress relief.

And it _works_. Stars, it works so well.

If Hux had known this _arrangement_ between him and Kylo Ren would work well, perhaps he would have thought about it sooner.

Being Supreme Leader is stressful and Kylo Ren doesn’t know much about actually ruling the Order. Hux, contrary to Ren, knows all about ruling. He’d say being the second in command after Supreme Leader is even more stressful.

It’s only natural they eventually come to an agreement they need some kind of stress relief.

Ren accuses him of betrayal at least two times per day. Hux has entertained the idea of betraying the man, _of course_ ; do something to get rid of the pain that is Kylo Ren. First Order will continue with or without Ren.

The Order will not, however, continue without a competent ruler.

Kylo Ren is most likely the worst Supreme Leader in the galactic history. He has but one good quality. Since he doesn’t care much about ruling, he can be lead on a leash.

Hux quickly learns the best way to hold that leash. Or how much he can pull it so Ren doesn’t realize he may have the title of Supreme Leader, but it’s Hux who rules the First Order from the shadows. And that is why Hux doesn’t much care about betraying the man. One day, maybe. But now, when he can do whatever he pleases while Ren is busy with Jedi business or whatever, the idea of overthrowing Kylo Ren doesn’t make much sense.

During one of their usual bickering sessions something changes between them. They stay in the conference room to discuss their strategy long after other officers left. Ren is more annoyed than usually, disagreeing with everything Hux proposes. It’s like he’s doing it on purpose just to spite the ginger.

Hux, on the other hand, loses his temper quickly, irritated to no end by Ren’s foolish behavior. He’s too tired to explain for the _third time_ already, why the Order needs to invest more in training or that no, they can’t spend any more credits on the equipment for the Knights of Ren, and yes, if Hux sees them leaving muddy footprints on the ship _again_ , he will throw them out of the airlock and that will be the end of Ren’s jolly pack of friends.

In retrospect, Hux should have kept that last thought to himself instead of staying it loud. They sit on the opposite sides of the table in the middle of the room but now Ren gets up and rushes to Hux, fuming in anger. The tame has been broken. Hux stands up, alerted, hand ready to grab his blaster. He may later claim it was self– defense. 

Ren gets close, too close. So close Hux can see his own reflection in Ren’s brown eyes.

“Why are you so… so..!” Ren hisses, fury shining in his glare.

He never gets to finish his thought.

Ren’s lips are on him, pressing to his own, and after the initial shock is gone Hux _lets him_. The kiss can’t even be called a kiss, it’s just lips touching. They separate both flushed red and looking at the other in stunned silence. There’s a hint of fear in Ren’s eyes, fear that he did something he shouldn’t have, that was forbidden.

It takes Hux exactly four seconds to decide what to do next.

He grabs Ren by the back of his neck and pulls him in for a hungry kiss. He fists his hand in the dark locks, Ren dares to _moan_ , because apparently he likes it, and Hux feels the whole world spin around him. Ren’s hands are on him, trying to gain access under his uniform, his touch clumsy.

All rational thoughts disappear from his head when Ren’s lips kiss the side of his face. Kylo grabs his hand, presses it to his crotch, Hux feels how hard Ren is, and Kylo whispers, “Fuck me,” in a voice filled with so much lust it goes straight to Hux’s groin.

Hux doesn’t even know how they went from point A to point B, point B being him standing between Ren’s legs, his jodhpurs and underwear pulled down, and looking down on Ren lying on the table. Hux can’t remember when was the last time he was this hard.

He takes off his gloves, folds them and puts on the table away from Ren. He spits in his hand and fists his erection, smearing precome and spit. It’s not enough but his concerns are forgotten at the sight of Ren who quickly pumps his cock. His lips are slightly opened and glistening. He’s propped on his elbows, his robe hitched up and showing his tense abs.

“Open up,” Hux commands, pushing two fingers into Ren’s mouth.

Kylo greedily sucks at his fingers and Hux resists the urge to slap the man. It’s so obscene he should be disgusted, the way Ren moans as he pumps his cock, with Hux’s fingers in his mouth. It’s not disgust he feels, oh no, but arousal so great it’s like his entire body is on fire.

“Enough,” he hisses, taking his hand away. Kylo looks up at him then, his plump lips glistening with spit and Hux may lose his mind any moment now.

He pushes two fingers in without mercy, Ren groans but bucks his hips and his cock twitches, and Hux can’t wrap his head around the idea that Supreme Leader Kylo Ren acts like a bitch in heat.

Yet somehow he doesn’t expect anything else.

“I’m good, I’m ready,” Ren purrs and it’s like a spell, a powerful command Hux must obey.

“You don’t need much, it seems,” Hux replies with a smirk, eyes glancing at Ren’s impressive erection. He could be jealous but instead he decides to simply enjoy the feeling of power over the man. He hasn’t done much yet Kylo already looks like he’s close to a climax.

He withdraws his fingers, wipes his hand on Ren’s robe, then grabs Kylo’s thighs and opens them as wide as he can. Ren laughs and complies, letting Hux do whatever he wants, but wincing a bit when a tip of the cock nudges his hole.

Hux pushes all the way inside, makes Ren hiss, then stops moving, enjoying the feeling. Kylo pants, his expression pleading.

“I never thought I’d see you like this, Supreme Leader,” Hux says with a chuckle.

“Fuck,” Ren pants, looking at their joined bodies. “Move.”

“I would never disobey you, Lord Ren.”

His thrusts are fast and hard, his head empty, mind focused only on Ren’s moans.

“Faster!” Ren commands and again Hux wants to slap him. He just _might_ do exactly that.

He pulls almost all the way out, then slams into him as hard as he can. Hearing Ren whine makes his heart sing. He grips Ren’s waist so tight he knows he will leave bruises and the thought of leaving marks on Kylo’s skin nearly makes him come.

Ren pumps his erection with one hand, the other twists and pulls on his nipple. He closes his eyes, bucks his hips to match Hux’s thrust and then he comes on his hand and chest, with a half swallowed moan. It’s a beautiful sound.

Hux leans in, quickens the pace to chase his own release. Ren’s powerful thighs wrap around his waist, Hux wants to pull out but Ren _growls_ at him and doesn’t let him, and that’s enough for Hux to thrust one more time and come with a shiver and a broken moan.

After they’re done they go back to pretending they hate each other, Ren agrees to some of Hux proposals while dismissing the others, and all is well in the Order.

Until Supreme Leader requests Hux in his personal quarters the very next day. Hux considers ignoring the requests. The image of Ren lying on the table with his legs wrapped around Hux and making all those sounds doesn’t want to leave Hux’s mind.

He’s already seen how the expression on Ren’s face after a quick and messy fuck.

Now he’s curious how the man looks when he’s fucked _good_.

He finds out soon enough after a night spent in Supreme Leader’s bedroom, having Ren clench around his cock and moan after he fucks him until they’re both too exhausted to move.

It works so well until it doesn’t because Ren ruins everything when he moans Hux’s actual name one night, and in a moment of realization it hits Hux how much he wants to hear him moan his name now, again and forever for the rest of his days.

* * *

How much time has passed he can’t tell.

Hux jerks awake and after a moment of blind panic he remembers where he is. He cried himself to exhaustion, fell asleep and now feels empty. His moment of weakness is gone and Hux is left with a headache and shame burning inside him. It takes a while until he gathers enough energy to move.

Slowly, carefully, Hux tries to sit up. Pain shoots up his leg the moment he bends it. He groans but forces himself to continue moving until he’s more or less sitting straight. He takes a deep breath, carefully because his chest still hurts like hell, and slowly stands up.

His head spins and he nearly faints. He looks around to determine if there’s something he will need but finds nothing of importance. Panting heavily, he limps towards the door, hand pressed to a wall. As predicted, the automatic door doesn’t work anymore, so he opens a small panel next to it and pulls a switch to manually force it open. The machinery between the walls groans and the door opens just so, allowing Hux to squeeze through a narrow gap.

Now that he’s outside the room he recognizes in what part of the ship he’s in. There’s a corridor leading to what he assumes is the main med bay, while he was put in one of the smaller rooms. Wires hand from the ceiling. With the power gone, he won’t get electrocuted when he touches one, but still he has to be careful. The corridor is dark yet there are more holes in the ceiling; through some he sees the insides of the ship, all destroyed, through others shines an eerie blue light with occasional flashes of what must be lightning. He hears a storm raging outside. He hopes it’ll rain, and the drops will fall all the way down here so he can find a container and fill it with water. He doesn’t know if it rains on this planet. Or what planet this is exactly. His throat feels like sandpaper.

He clings to a wall and makes his way through the corridor, walking carefully and looking on the ground to avoid stepping on something sharp. His naked feet are so cold he can barely feel them.

Shivering in the cold, he finds another door and again pulls a switch to force it open. The door stays shut. Hux frowns and pulls the switch again and again, until he screams in frustration and bang his fists on the door.

He drops down on his knees, his angry outburst leaving his exhausted.

Then, somewhere at the back of his mind he feels a strange pull.

It’s like someone calling out to him but they are too far away and their voice is just white noise.

Hux jerks up his head, glancing around.

“Hello?” he calls out to the empty corridor. His voice echoes between the metal walls. “Anyone?”

The sound of thunder from above is his only answer.

* * *

Ren emits a low moan, it’s like a purr, and arches his back quite beautifully as he comes with his lover’s name on his lips.

Hux observes him with his eyes narrowed, focused to remember every small detail. The map of dots on Ren’s body, the way his hair sticks to his face or these small wrinkles that appear around his eyes when he laughs (although it still seems so odd to see Kylo Ren _laugh_ ).

It’s all so easy to forget. A dull ache at the bottom of his heart doesn’t want to leave him, growing stronger with each passing day. Hux closes his eyes shut when he comes with a silent gasp.

It’s cute, almost, the way Ren reaches for him, so needy, desperate to touch no matter how many times they fuck, how many times he moans Hux’s name or how much time they spend wrapped in silk sheets on Supreme Leader’s wide bed. Hux lets Ren pull him close, doesn’t complain about his chest being sticky with come and sweat, suddenly unable to form words. He lets Ren kiss him again and again until his lips are swollen, his head spins and he’s dizzy and sleepy, and tired like all hell.

He breaks off the kiss, “That’s enough,” he whispers, his voice so hoarse it may as well belong to someone else, and puts his head on Kylo’s broad chest. He closes his eyes, listening to Ren’s heartbeat.

He doesn’t care they’re sweaty and gross, and he’ll surely regret not getting up and going to the refresher right about now.

It feels good, staying like this and pretending the rest of the world and its problems don’t exist.

* * *

Hux hits the door with his fists again. Something whirrs in the walls and the then the door slides open, a small miracle.

Hux shakes his head and laughs, utterly exhausted. He gets inside a room that used to belong to the medical staff. Hux limps to a row of lockers on the left, opens the first one, then another one but both are empty. He tries again but finds nothing. With growing desperation he turns to the last one, pulls the handle but it doesn’t want to open. It may be empty as well but he’s getting to a point where he desperately needs food, water and clothes if he wants to continue. His stomach twists and growls, legs shake from fatigue.

He doesn’t want to die here. Alone. In a wreckage of a ship that was under the command of a man who shot him.

Hux bangs on the locker, swearing under his breath. He hits it again, yelling in fury, then again until his hand hurts.

Then the locker’s door pops open. Hux blinks. There’s a bottle of water inside, a blanket and a black uniform folded neatly on a shelf. Hux drinks the entire bottle so greedily he should be ashamed but he doesn’t care. On the bottom he finds a pair of boots.

Seeing three energy bars he can’t believe his luck. With shaky hands he tears open a package and bites into one. He closes his eyes and moans, slowly chewing the energy bar. He eats another one but decides to save the last one for later. Who knows what awaits him.

He also doesn’t know who he should thank for this gift. It’s merely a coincidence he found the locker, and that it didn’t get destroyed, and that someone left their stuff in there. Or maybe it’s fate and some mysterious force is out there looking out for Hux. He doesn’t care.

The uniform is too big for him. It matters very little when he can finally put on a pair of shoes and doesn’t have to worry he’s going to cut his feet on a piece of metal. He idly touches the Order’s insignia embroidered on the shirt’s shoulder. There’s a pang of guilt in his heart but he dismisses it quickly. He puts the blanket on his shoulders like a cape. He’s still cold but once he’s wearing actual clothing he feels a bit less miserable.

He needs to get out of here. He needs a plan.

Hux is good at many things. He’s excellent at planning.

* * *

Supreme Leader’s bedroom is dark. Hux frowns and taps a panel by the door. The light on the ceiling flicks to life, illuminating the room in a yellow glow.

Ren sits on a wide bed, his dark uniform matching the black sheets perfectly. Hux gasps when he sees him, not realizing the man’s been here the whole time. Then he rolls his eyes. Kylo Ren likes being dramatic.

“Ren, what are you– ” he begins but stops, seeing Kylo’s raised hand.

“How long have you been in contact with the Resistance?” Ren asks, his gaze cold.

_Ah_.

Hux hesitates. Fury shines in Kylo’s eyes. He needs to be careful.

He needs to tell him the truth.

“How long,” Ren continues before Hux can gather his thoughts; he stands up and advances toward the ginger, “have you been planning to betray me?”

Kylo is right by him now, leaning in, his nose inches from Hux’s face, and Hux sees is then – not only fury but _hurt_ , and something like a thorn pierces through his heart.

_Ren, you fool._

“I’m not going to betray you, Ren,” he says, his voice quiet.

Kylo twists his lips in an ugly snarl. “Don’t lie to me. I know for a fact you’ve been leaking information to the Resistance.”

Hux shakes his head. He wants to laugh. And grab Ren by the shoulders and _shake_.

“I’m not lying to you. I’d never betray the Order.”

_I’d never betray you_ , he wants to add but the words get stuck in his throat. Admitting this would be too much.

“Stop lying!” Ren spits. Anger transforms his face into an ugly mask. Hux feels a familiar tingling at the back of his head as the Force gathers around Kylo. “Admit that you work for the Resistance!”

“I would never betray the Order,” Hux repeats. He balls his hands into fists. He doesn’t like how they shake. “But if you expect me to shut up and take it after putting me under Pryde, then you’re mistaken, Supreme Leader.”

Kylo blinks, anger replaced by confusion. “The Supreme Council decided to– ”

“Oh, come on!” Hux scoffs.

_You’re so dense sometimes._

“You have all the power in the galaxy yet you waste it on organizing some Council that is more useless that giving a hairbrush to a Wookiee! You think those fools like Pryde or Griss care about the future of the Order? That they want to aid you? Don’t be ridiculous, Ren.”

“Then, why– ”

Hux takes a deep breath. It’s now or never. He may die here, Force chocked to death.

“I admit, you’re right. I’ve leaked _some_ information to the Resistance,” he says then seeing a flash of anger in Ren’s eyes, he adds, “but let me finish first before you call me a traitor.”

Ren is silent, only his glare is as intense as ever. The fact he doesn’t reach for his lightsaber is a good sign.

It’s a sign he has Kylo’s trust. Hux takes a breath. Something twists inside his guts. Years ago Ren wouldn’t hesitate for a second to strike him down. Now he does nothing, allows Hux to explain despite the tremendous hurt visible in his eyes.

It’s too much to think about, so Hux speaks. “I cannot let the First Order fall. But also I can’t let _wrong people_ rule it. Do you remember what I told you when you said you want to form the Supreme Council?” He doesn’t wait for the answer. He has to make it quick. Kylo Ren is not a patient man. “It’s ridiculous of you to need some council dictate your rule when you could have made _me_ your Grand Marshall and let me handle the Order.”

“And I told you why I couldn’t do that,” Kylo replies, sounding so miserable, so sheepish Hux can’t believe it’s the same man who nearly choked him to death after killing Snoke.

It was a difficult day for them both. _“It would put a target on you,”_ Ren said, displaying more understanding of the inner machinations of the Order than ever. _“There are many others who desire this title. I name you Grand Marshall and that will be your death sentence. They will tear you apart.”_

Hux got angry then. Said some things. His words dripped with venom. And Ren just stood there and took all of Hux’s anger. Then said something that Hux will never forgive him.

_“I don’t want to see you sacrifice your life. Not for some title. You may not have the same sentiment I have for you but I won’t allow you to die for the Order.”_

The look Ren gave him then was like a punch in the gut, and Hux felt like he was falling down a bottomless pit.

_I won’t allow you to die for the Order._

There were too many emotions in Ren’s eyes, in his voice. Deep down, it all made Hux afraid.

His thoughts return to the present moment.

“I want to get rid of Pryde. And his loyalists. If you think they serve the First Order you’re gravely mistaken. Pryde is an old dog who still clings to the past. His actions will only damage the Order when we need reforms, improvements and innovations. He’s gaining a following because people are scared of change. And don’t think for a second he’s content with his current title. He has to disappear before he gets rid of us both.”

“Do you want me to kill him?” Ren asks as if he was offering Hux a drink.

Hux frowns. “And show his supporters that you’re a tyrant and they need to overthrow you? No, Ren. Killing Pryde openly would cause problems. Believe me, I thought about it.”

Before he can stop himself, Hux reaches out to brush a strand of hair from Ren’s face.

“Pryde holds too much support right now. But if he lets the Resistance gain the upper hand, others will see him as incompetent. There’s no room in the Order for an incompetent general. Pryde loses his support and then, and _only_ then, he can be quietly disposed of.”

Ren’s wide eyed stare makes Hux uneasy. His anger is gone for good.

“Take care of your things, of the mysteries of the Force. Leave the Order to me. Let me do this, Ren,” Hux says, all serious.

“Of course,” Ren says with a small nod of his head. “Of course,” he repeats, his voice hollow.

He sees something _break_ in Kylo’s eyes, it’s so subtle Hux thinks he must have imagined it. Surely, Ren should know better than to accuse Hux of working with those filthy Rebels against the Order. He shaped the First Order to what it is now; Hux won’t let anyone destroy the work of his life.

Then he realizes it’s not that Kylo fears Hux will betray him.

Ren is worried.

What he sees in Ren’s eyes is genuine worry and Hux resists the urge to run, run as fast as he can because it’s too much, these brown eyes looking at him with care and concern.

_You fool_ , Hux thinks.

He reaches out, desperate, tangles his gloved fingers in Ren’s messy hair as he pulls him close and presses their lips together.

* * *

Ignoring the pain in his leg Hux crawls through a vent, holding a glowrod between his teeth. Beads of sweat glisten on his forehead. The crisis is over. Determination pushes him forward. He will not die in this ship. There has to be a way to get out of here and he will find it.

With the power cut off and the staircase ruined this is his only way of getting to other parts of the ship. After going through every room he could get to Hux found more provisions, a glowrod and, more importantly, a multitool. Knowing the designs of the ships in the Order, he located a maintenance hatch, and now crawls through a vent he hopes lead to a hangar bay.

His intuition is correct. He opens the hatch with the multitool, pushes it out of the way and crawls out of the vent right into a vast area shrouded in darkness. He stands up with a groan, takes the glowrod into his hand, then looks around to see the hangar bay torn in half. The pride of the First Order reduced to an empty coffin holding him inside. Hux feels something twist in his gut. Hurt, worry, regret – he doesn’t know which, maybe all at once.

Pieces of various tech litter the ground, Hux also spots parts of Stormtrooper armor. But there’s no one here, and again dread crawls up his spine because he can’t shake the feeling that someone (something?) is watching him.

It’s windy, cold wind blowing from the outside. Part of the landing strip is covered in rubble but the remaining opening looks big enough for a TIE fighter to fly through – if Hux manages to find a functioning one, that is. He’s no pilot tough he can fly a ship if needed. The problem is finding a vessel that can take him off this planet.

There are broken TIE fighters on his left. Hux walks up closer to inspect them. Two are devastated, crushed by large pieces of metal. The last one, however, looks like it miraculously survived the destruction.

Upon a closer inspection Hux gets it open and slips inside to sit in the pilot’s seat. Hux takes a deep breath and flicks a switch. The lights flick on, followed by soft whirring of the engine. He can’t help but smile.

He spends the night inside the starfighter, curled on the seat and wrapped in a blanket. Though he’s not even sure if a night and day cycle exists on this planet. So far he’s only heard the storm raging outside.

The overwhelming feeling of loneliness threatens to suffocate him, so he forces himself to not think about anything else but getting some sleep. It’s not comfortable in any way, and as he falls asleep Hux suspects he will be even more sore when he wakes up.

In his dreams he’s still on this damned ship, wandering between the rubble. There’s scratching coming from the shadows. Hux turns around to see what it is but the noise stops just as he flashes the glowrod in the direction where the sound is coming from.

Then there’s more scratching, as if some animal tapped their claws on the widow, the noise getting more and more persistent until Hux jolts awake and realizes the sound is coming from outside the TIE.

Something is standing right by the starfighter and wants to get inside. For one moment Hux allows hope to take over – what if someone survived and found him? What if it’s…

He shakes his head, his heart aching so much it makes him tremble. It’s can’t be _him_. Ren is dead, just like everyone else, just like the Order.

(Or maybe he isn’t but he simply forgot about Hux, left him on this planet to die)

Hux bites his lower lip, hard, so hard he feels blood on his tongue. Its taste distracts him from his misery.

A loud _bang_ makes Hux jump on his seat. The thing is still outside and hits the TIE’s wing with a fist, or a paw, or whatever it has. Hux grabs the glowrod but hesitates. He doesn’t want to attract any attention. He switched the engine off to conserve energy, and now sits in darkness, waiting.

There’s more banging, the creature gets impatient. Hux forces himself to be calm. His heart thundering in his chest, he repeats the technical aspects of the _Finalizer_ in his head, focusing on each number and making sure he gets it right.

_2,915.81 meters_ , he says in his thoughts. _The standard length for an Resurgent_ – _class Star Destroyer._

Something jumps on the TIE right above him. A hand with broken claws presses to the window in front of Hux, a piece of fabric like a dirty old rag hanging around it like a sleeve. The hand looks human but something tells Hux it’s not a person, not anymore.

_Equipped with 8 Gemon-8 ion engines_ , he chants in his head, pressing a hand to his mouth. The creature slides down from the top of the TIE and Hux sees its black robes, long, dirty and torn at the ends.

_3 Destroyer Ion Engines._

It looks human but it’s hunched, and it moves in a way that makes Hux’s skin crawl even though he can’t see much in the darkness illuminated only by the TIE’s control panel. The black robe hangs on its body like a dirty rag on a bundle of sticks.

And there it is again, that strange pull at the back of his head, urging him to stand up, to go, to find…

A terrifying shriek cuts through silence like a knife. Hux freezes, thoughts scattered, the information he was chanting forgotten. The noise comes from the outside but it gets louder and closer, and he hears it loud and clear because the storm finally calmed down.

No human could scream like that. It must be a creature that lives on this planet and lurks in the shadows. The _Steadfast_ crashed on the surface disturbed its sleep, and now it’s on the hunt for the only prey left among the ruins.

Hux feels his eyes water as he stares, eyes open wide, at the dark shadowy creature outside the TIE, the wailing ringing in his ears. The pull to get up and move is stronger than before, and he almost gives in, almost gets out to face the creature and venture where that strange force wants him to go.

The screaming stops. The creature disappears in the darkness, leaving Hux alone and shaking.

He wipes his cheek to discover his skin is wet with tears.

* * *

Loud beeping disturbs his sleep and Hux winces, cursing under his breath. Eyes squeezed shut, he reaches out to hit a control panel and shut off the alarm.

If he gets up he’ll have enough time to make himself a nice cup of Tarine tea and review today’s assignments. He cherishes these quiet little moments of peace. They are simple yet so relaxing.

Now, however, there’s a pair of strong arms wrapped around Hux and pulling him closer. Hux frowns. It’s too hot and not that comfortable, being pressed to Kylo Ren’s body like that. The man radiates too much heat and Hux groans.

“Get up,” he says, trying to untangle their limbs. Ren’s iron grip doesn’t falter. “It’s time for you to get up, Supreme Leader.”

Ren scoffs, hot breath tickles Hux’s skin. “What’s the point of being Supreme Leader if I can’t stay in bed a little longer than the rest of the crew?”

“As your most important advisor,” Hux replies and manages to pull away; the bed is huge yet Ren always ends up wrapped around him. “I suggest you don’t neglect your duties, Lord Ren. You need to give our troops a good example.”

He can’t stay away for long, Kylo reaching our and pulling Hux to him. He pushes Hux on his back and hovers above him, eyes studying Hux’s face before he leans in for a kiss. He’s persistent, the kiss hungry like always. It seems Ren never has enough of him.

Hux groans in protest. He wants to pretend he doesn’t like it, not even one bit and Ren should know to stop with this tender nonsense.

Yet he closes his eyes and lets Ren kiss him some more.

“Now I’m ready to go,” Kylo says when they separate. He cups his lover’s face with his hand, a small smile on his lips.

Without thinking Hux leans in to the touch. Ren’s eyes gazing down on him are filled with warmth. Hux lets out a sigh. His heart aches so much he wants to weep.

* * *

There’s no strange noises, no scratching or wailing coming from anywhere. Hux looks through the window, expecting the creature to wait for him but there’s nothing there. He gets out of the TIE, points the glowrod in every direction and listens, with the multitool in his hand. It won’t help much if he gets attacked though he will fight if needed.

Nothing jumps out of the shadow at him. Hux lets out a sigh of relief. He glances back at the TIE fighter, then checks if he has everything he needs in a provisional bag he formed from the blanket and wears on his back, then makes his way to a large opening.

After the creature was gone he tried to fall asleep again but couldn’t, tormented by that odd power again, calling out to him. It’s as if he was a puppet on a string someone keep on pulling. He tried to ignore it at first but in the end he grew restless and spent hours turning in the pilot’s seat.

He can check what calls out to him. It won’t take long, and he doesn’t want to venture too far from the ship. This needs to be quick and he has to be careful to avoid any danger. If he sees another of those nightmarish creatures he’ll simply go back to the TIE fighter.

He needs to leave this planet as soon as he can yet he knows it won’t be possible until he solves this one mystery. What or who is calling out to him.

Perhaps this mysterious power wants to drive him mad. Maybe it’s how the creatures hunt; there are too weak to attack their prey but they have some psychic powers. Part of Hux wants to believe that.

But a different part of him urges him to walk forward, to step out of the ship’s wreckage and walk among pieces of various ships that litter the planet’s surface. There’s nothing here other than ruin. Hux looks up and sees a grey mass of clouds hanging low. Then he looks around to see a graveyard of ships, most of them he recognizes as the First Order vessels, and feels a lump in his throat.

He makes his way through the wreckage that resembles a maze. There’s something like a big building in a distance. He squints his eyes but can’t tell if that’s really a building or not. It doesn’t interest him in the slightest because it’s not from where he feels that mysterious pull. The stormy sky above his head urges him to quicken his pace; he would hate it if he was caught in a storm.

After walking for a longer while Hux stops by what looks like a Resistance ship, and glances around, confused where to go next.

“This is madness,” he whispers to himself. Shivering in the cold he rubs his hands together.

Then he winces when he feels a strong pull, like a needle going into his brain. He turns around, eyes searching until they fall on a cave in a stone wall. He frowns and walks toward it, carefully maneuvering between the rubble. He takes out the glowrod and shines inside the cave to see nothing but dark walls.

The pull gets stronger now, something or someone is calling out to him, and when he concentrates he can almost make out the words. But it hurts to focus on it. It’s like his mind is too simple to interpret this odd message.

Hux hesitates. He can’t see or hear the creatures but it doesn’t mean they aren’t waiting for him inside the cave. Yet the strange force urges him forward and he’s unable to say no to it.

The path leads him through stony corridors, so deep he can barely hear the wind howling outside. There’s no other source of light except the glowrod in his hand, so Hux walks carefully, ready to turn away at any minute. After a longer while, when he thinks the path is endless, that he stepped into a maze that will lead him nowhere, he sees a light at the end of the tunnel. He gets closer and steps into a vast area, an enormous cave, so big it makes Hux feel very small.

He is not alone.

The creatures gather around him, whispering in some alien language, all dressed in black rags with hoods that hide their faces. Hux gasps, takes a step back and wants to run away but the mysterious force won’t let him. His head is pounding. He can’t turn back now, not when he’s so close. He’s no idea how he knows it, that he’s close, only that this is the place he’s supposed to be.

The creatures hiss, their bony fingers reaching out to Hux, long, broken nails nearly touching him. He stumbles backwards, trips and almost falls. Anger rises in his throat. It’s a trap after all and he fell right into it. How he can be so stupid?

A lightning strikes and Hux looks up at the sky. The cave resembles a dome with an open ceiling, and through it he sees a stormy sky. Another lightning and in its flash he sees a crowd of creatures gathered around him. The glowrod in his hand shakes. They tricked him, he fell for it like a fool, and he’s going to die here, alone and forgotten.

The creatures step aside. They make a path for him, point their bony arms in the direction of something in the middle of the room. Another lightning strikes and it’s then that Hux sees it. The pull in his head is so strong he feels dizzy.

There’s a throne carved in stone, the shapes crude and simple. The storm outside gets louder, thunders deafening. Hux opens his lips in a silent gasp. His eyes fill with tears and this time he doesn’t stop them from streaming down his face.

Atop the throne, on a black piece of cloth draped around his body, sits Kylo Ren.

Hux lets out a quiet sob. The strange pull is gone. The creatures hiss some more before they slowly move away from Hux, crawl back to hide in the shadows. Hux takes a step forward, his legs shaking, then another one until his legs give out and he falls on his knees in front of the throne. The glowrod falls from his hand and rolls away on the ground.

He reaches out to touch Ren’s hand. Feeling how cold Ren’s skin is, his heart almost breaks into pieces.

Kylo’s skin is ghostly white, creating such a stark contrast with the black stone and cloth he looks more like a ghost. Ren’s lips are pale and he wears a torn sweater and pants, his feet bare.

Hux sobs, unable to control himself, pressing Ren’s cold hand to his face. He struggles to breathe, his entire body aching.

“Ren,” he says, his voice barely a whisper. His throat hurts too much to speak normally. “Ren,” he repeats between sobs. “Please…”

Was is the Force that brought him here? He can’t feel it anymore, can’t feel anything other than Ren’s cold hand pressed to his cheek and the pain tearing him apart. He remembers Kylo talking about that mysterious power all the time, about what miracles it can do. Hux always remained skeptical despite seeing what powers Kylo possessed. There was nothing the Force could do for Hux because he wasn’t one of those with the powers.

So why now..?

“Ren,” he whispers again. Kylo doesn’t react, sitting still on the throne the creatures prepared for him. The storm is raging outside, thunders so powerful the stone walls shake.

Hux gets up and leans in to kiss Ren with chapped lips. A shiver runs down his spine; he remembers the warmth of Ren’s lips but now they are like ice. Hux cups his lover’s face in both arms and presses their foreheads together.

“I’m sorry,” he says. He can barely hear himself, his voice swallowed by the thunders. “Ren, I’m so sorry.”

“Hux..?”

He thinks it’s a voice in his own head at first. Hux freezes, eyes opening wide. He pulls back and watches in awe as Kylo blinks then reaches out to touch Hux’s face.

“Ren, I– ” he stammers. Words get stuck in his throat. “I thought…”

_I thought you were dead._

He can’t say it out loud. What if he says it and it all turns out to be a joke, he wakes up in the TIE, or worse, back in the med room buried under rubble but this time he won’t be able to get out, he won’t be able to stand up, crushed under tones of metal.

He realizes he’s hyperventilating and trembles when Ren wraps his arms around him. Hux clings to him, hides his face in the crook of Ren’s neck, and cries, his body convulsing as he weeps. Kylo holds him the entire time, whispering things into his ear, things that don’t matter or matter too much, making Hux feel safe for the first time since he woke up on this hellish planet.

Once he lets it all out Hux pulls back to look at Ren’s face, still not quite believing the man is right here in his arms.

“What are you doing here?” Kylo asks, his voice raspy. He pulls Hux close so he can sit in his lap, and wraps his arm around him.

“I don’t even know where I am,” Hux says, on a verge of laughter. It’s all so unbelievable his mind can’t keep up.

Kylo gives him a confused look. “Exegol. I fought Palpatine here. I thought I…” he hesitates. He looks away, his face tense, as if he was recalling a memory. Then he shakes his head. “Doesn’t matter now. Palpatine’s dead. How did you get here?”

“Pryde discovered I was leaking information to the Resistance. He shot me.”

Anger flashes on Ren’s face. Hux caresses his cheek. “Don’t worry, there were still some people loyal to me in the Order.”

“You were right about him. You were right about everything, and I should have listened. I should have– ”

“Shhh,” Hux wraps his arms around Kylo’s neck and holds him close. “It doesn’t matter now.” He lets out a soft chuckle. “By the stars, I’ve no idea how, but found each other.”

For a longer while they sit together, refusing to let go, enjoying each other’s warmth. Ren doesn’t feel like a cold statue anymore, the embrace he holds Hux in is so familiar Hux feels a sting in his chest.

“Can you walk?” Hux asks, breaking the silence between them. The storm outside quieted down, the creatures disappeared though Hux has a feeling they’re still lurking in the shadows. “I found a TIE fighter, I think we can fly it.”

“I feel alright, just… tired. A bit,” Kylo adds in a tone of voice suggesting he doesn’t want to make the other worry. “How did you know where to find me?”

“I felt… something,” Hux says after a moment of thought. “Like a pull. Maybe it was your Force you always babble about.”

Kylo’s eyes widen in shock. “You’re Force sensitive? You never told me that.”

Hux shakes his head. “I don’t know if it was the Force or some other power. I couldn’t refuse it, so I followed its calling and it led me here. There are creatures who live here, at first I thought they wanted to attack me but in the end they pointed me to you.”

“What creatures?” Ren glances around, eyes searching. They’re alone in the cave.

“Who knows. I guess the ones who also brought you here and put you on this throne.”

“They served Palpatine,” Ren says, voice tense. “I saw them, they were like a cult. Why would they help _me_ , then? And lead you to me?”

“We need to focus on the present, Ren,” Hux points out. “They helped, now they’re gone. If they’re not attacking then we should leave them alone.”

Kylo frowns. “It’s my blood. They can sense I have Vader’s blood in me. That I’m from the Skywalker family.”

His tone of voice betrays him, eyes filled with hurt.

Hux presses his lips to Kylo’s temple. “What matters to _me_ , Ren, is that I found you. That you’re here with me. Now, let’s go.”

Kylo lets out a sigh, his anger gone. “You’re right.”

“Of course I am.” Hux smiles. “We need to get back to the _Steadfast_. You’re a way better pilot than me, so you’ll have to check if we can use that TIE fighter to get off this planet.”

Kylo nods. “Let’s go.”

They make their way to the surface. Hux presses a hand to his chest. His heart is beating fast. So fast he worries it may jump out of his chest.

“Follow me and be careful not to step on any sharp pieces. I’ll try to find a path for us to get to the ship.”

Kylo nods. Not one minute passes when he slips and almost falls. Hux reaches for his hand and leads him, holding his hand, through a maze of destroyed ships. They reach the _Steadfast_ and neither of them lets go. Ren gently squeezes his hand.

From the TIE Hux retrieves a bottle of water and energy bars, and offers them to Kylo.

“I didn’t realize how thirsty and hungry I am,” Ren says after devouring two energy bars and drinking the whole bottle. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. They sit on the ground by the TIE fighter, on a blanket Hux took from the med bay. “Is this the starfighter you mentioned?” He nods at the ship.

“Yes, I think it’s fully functional. No idea how it survived the crash but I’m not going to complain.”

Hux falls silent. Ren gets up and walks around the TIE to inspect it for any possible damage. “Do you think we can fly it?”

“I need to check the engine but I guess so.”

“I don’t want to die here,” Hux says before he can stop himself. Worry coils in his gut and he feels like he’s going to be sick if he has to stay here for longer. “I don’t want to see you die either, Ren. We’re leaving this planet together.”

Their eyes met. There’s something different about Ren, the way he moves and talks, and Hux realizes the man is exhausted. He’s never seen Kylo so tired before. He has dark circles under his eyes, his back slightly hunched. Stars know Hux’s tired too. He wants nothing more to curl under a blanket and sleep forever.

But not before he– _they_ leave this place.

Ren stands right in front of him yet part of his mind still can’t believe he’s here. Hux gets up and takes Kylo’s hand. If only he had more energy, then they could get back to their usual bickering, to pretending this _thing_ between them doesn’t really matter. But he’s too tired to hide his feelings behind a mask of indifference, so he leans in, presses a kiss to Ren’s cheek–

(so he’s the one who likes kissing and touching now, huh? Part of him wants to laugh)

–before he gathers his things and they get inside the TIE.

Sitting in the pilot’s seat Ren checks the control panel and flicks switches on while Hux waits, settled in the gunner’s seat. His worry grows with every second. What if they can’t fly it? What if..?

He shakes his head.

He cannot allow these thoughts to get to him.

“All good.” Hux hears Ren say.

The engine emits a soft whirr. Hux glances over his shoulder to see Kylo looking at him expectantly.

“Ready?”

Hux nods. “More than ever. Fly us out of here, Ren.”

He leans back in the seat as the ship ascends. He wouldn’t be able to maneuver so smoothly around the wreckage but with Ren as the pilot Hux doesn’t have to worry. He slowly exhales, watching the planet’s surface get smaller until the ship flies into stormy clouds and higher, and then Exegol is merely a sphere in the distance. A wave of relief washes over him; no more raging storms or creatures hidden in the shadows. Now it’s just him, Ren, and the sea of stars around them.

Hux leans back in his seat. “Do you know the legend of a red string of fate, Ren?”

“No. Could you tell me about it?”

“There’s this legend saying there are people connected by a red string of fate. Or it can be a chain, depends on the version, because it may also be a burden to some.” Hux shakes his head and chuckles, then wipes his eyes and continues. “The legend says those connected by a red string of fate will always find each other. No matter what.”

He slowly exhales. There are millions of stars and planets, countless moons and suns, and they survived the impossible and are here, together in this small ship flying though space.

Hux looks up at the blinking stars. He can’t see Kylo’s face but he _senses_ Ren smiles.

Hux knows that smile.

It’s that warm smile that makes his heart melt.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: if you want to cry about kylux together I’m [on Twitter](https://twitter.com/AdamJensenss)  
> Comments? I love them.


End file.
